Problems in Metal Printing (Dye Sublimation) and Solutions

Problems in Metal Printing (Dye Sublimation) and Solutions

Jan 23, 2026 by Stephen Bay
in
Printing

I do a good quantity of printing on metallic (Chromaluxe) and I’ve examined out many alternative printing labs. Along the way in which, I’ve run into a variety of issues. It might be extraordinarily irritating when you have got a file that prints completely on most media (paper, canvas, and so on) however comes out with main issues on metallic.

Printing on metallic isn’t like printing on paper. With paper, I can edit my photograph, softproof it, and ship it to a lab and have the primary print come again virtually precisely as I anticipate. I may even ship that very same file to a unique lab, and the overwhelming majority of time I’ll get again a visually similar print (assuming the identical paper).

This isn’t remotely true for metallic printing. In metallic printing, you have got a lot much less management over colour and the whole course of can undergo from an absence of consistency. Some photographers have even reported that once they have printed the identical file twice at a lab, the prints have come again trying very completely different.

This photograph exhibits the identical picture file printed on Chromaluxe metallic (left) and paper (proper). The metallic print has a noticeable shift to cyan that’s not current within the authentic digital file. Color shifts like this aren’t unusual. The picture file, transformed to sRGB for net viewing, might be seen right here.

Throughout this text I’ll use the phrases Chromaluxe and metallic panels. Chromaluxe is a selected model of coated aluminum panel for metallic dye sublimation printing. In the context of high-end printing, they’re successfully synonymous as to my data, all skilled labs use Chromaluxe as a result of they’re broadly considered the most suitable choice with none shut options.

In this text, I’ll go over the issues that may happen when printing images on metallic and the way to tackle them. I’ve skilled most of those isssues personally from prints I’ve had made at completely different skilled labs. Issues can crop up at even the perfect and most extremely advisable labs.

First, lets briefly go over the metallic printing course of. Metal prints are made with a course of known as dye sublimation which includes a number of steps as follows:

• A profile is utilized to your picture file.
• The transformed file is then printed onto switch paper in reverse.
• The paper is sandwiched face-to-face with a coated metallic panel.
• The sandwich is positioned right into a warmth press which vapourizes the inks on the paper and infuses them into the coating on the metallic (sublimation).

Every lab has their very own recipe for making metallic prints which includes a selected mixture of colour profile after which various quantities of time, strain, and warmth utilized in a press. These variables can differ considerably from lab to lab.

For instance, one lab may use a excessive temperature with a brief press time (e.g. 390F for two minutes), whereas one other may use a decrease temperature with a very long time within the press (e.g. 360F for 10 minutes). These variations can lead to important variation in how the ultimate prints look.

Each step within the course of introduces additional complexity, which might result in issues and inconsistencies. For instance, leaving a print within the warmth press for a number of seconds too lengthy can noticeably shift the colours. Likewise, if the press runs cooler close to the perimeters or applies uneven strain, the sublimation course of is affected, presumably leading to colour and sharpness modifications throughout the print.

I’ll checklist the issues under in tough order of significance.

This might be the primary criticism about metallic printing. In my expertise, I often discover the colours come out too heat. For a panorama photographer, that is particularly problematic with greens which might lose their crispness and turn into muddy. I’ve additionally seen prints have magenta or purple shifts which might be disagreeable.

On the left is a photograph of a Chromaluxe metallic print with a heat colour shift made by an expert printing lab. There are some reflections from it’s surrounding surroundings however the colour shift could be very noticeable. The white stability was set utilizing a G7 WhiBal card designed to be impartial for digital captures. On the suitable, is the unique digital file.

Solution

There’s a restrict to what you are able to do as a photographer as a result of the colour shifts are as a result of sublimation recipe which is out of your management. The best strategy is to grasp how your particular lab’s course of alters colours and modify accordingly.

One method to do that is to ship reference prints to the lab to see how they reproduce colour, then compensate by adjusting your recordsdata earlier than printing. Ordering small take a look at prints as proofs can even assist determine points earlier than producing bigger items. However there’s a restrict as to how a lot you may compensate for and you want to take into account that compensation may introduce different issues.

Some labs present an ICC profile however I’ve not discovered these to be significantly correct or useful in avoiding the issues.

Ultimately there’s solely a lot you are able to do. My resolution was to maintain attempting labs till I discovered one which has higher colour administration.

This is a photograph of a 16×24 metallic print with a number of reference pictures ganged up. The inexperienced of the seascape within the backside left can also be heat like within the prior image although that is from a unique lab. In the underside proper, not the entire 12 squares within the black to white take a look at strip are impartial and a few pattern towards magenta.

I’ve discovered it pretty widespread for darkish areas that print properly on paper come out crushed (missing tonal separation) and seem too darkish on a metallic print.

On the highest is a Chromaluxe metallic print, under is a paper print. Look on the variations across the buildings on the far aspect of the bay and within the marina within the foreground.

Solution

Some photographers compensate by including a 1/2 cease or so of brightness to make issues look proper. This will help however it’s not likely a great resolution and requires expertise to get proper. Personally if my prints got here again too darkish, I’d attempt to discover a higher lab.

If a lab doesn’t have a tightly managed and standardized course of for making prints, their outcomes might be inconsistent by way of colour and tone. Inconsistent implies that even while you present the identical file a number of occasions, the prints could range. For instance, shadows could also be darker or lighter, colours could shift barely, or highlights could not reproduce the identical method every time.

This causes drawback particularly in case you are working with proofs as you might be relying on the method being repeatable so as to make modifications that may carry over into the ultimate print.

Solution

There’s nothing you are able to do aside from discover a higher lab.

Metal prints, by their nature, are going to be softer and fewer sharp than a paper print. This is unavoidable as a result of sublimation course of: because the inks vapourize and switch into the coated metallic there’s some pure diffusion and spreading happens. However, I’ve seen that some labs can produce a lot sharper prints than others on this regard.

The softness can influence the whole print uniformly. It can even solely influence sure sections, for instance, in a few of my prints, I’ve had the middle be fairly sharp however the sharpness falls off in the direction of the perimeters. The worst case that I’ve seen is a print and seeing it go from sharp to gentle to sharp once more within the area of some inches which appears to be like very unusual.

There are a number of explanation why metallic prints might be gentle:

• The switch paper strikes relative to the clean which might occur because the metallic heats up and expands greater than the paper.
• Uneven strain on the press could cause native gentle spots within the print.
• Humidity and moisture within the paper could cause it to warp within the press.

Solution

You can’t do a lot about this besides ask for a remake after which change to a unique lab which has higher course of management. With a remake, the lab ought to have the ability to tackle uneven sharpness particularly if it’s attributable to motion or shifting. But basically the lab received’t have the ability to make a print as sharp as paper as a result of that’s an inherent limitation of dye sublimation.

Metal (Chromaluxe) blanks can have varied bodily imperfections as they arrive from the producer. One of the most typical is “pimples” or a small raised bump within the floor. From what I perceive, this happens when a speck of dust or mud will get embedded within the coating course of. The lab ought to put these in unnoticeable spot which is often an space with numerous texture. If it’s in an apparent spot in your print, I’d insist on a remake.

I’ve additionally had black flecks embedded in my prints. I’m unsure if it is a drawback with the clean because it comes from the manufacturing unit or if the contaminate was by some means launched in printing and located it’s method between the switch paper and metallic.

Solution

I feel most labs catering to professionals will do a remake if the pimple happens in a very noticeable spot corresponding to a face.

When utilizing a warmth press, labs could place a sheet of material between the press and the print to assist distribute strain evenly and permit moisture to flee. However, if the strain is simply too excessive, this may create an uncommon textured impact on the floor, typically described as “orange peel”.

This is a close-up photograph of a metallic print displaying an orange peel texture. The space proven is about 5″ large.

Solution

Ask for a remake and let the lab learn about the issue. They ought to have the ability to modify the strain to keep away from the orange peel impact.

The coating on metallic panels is prone to chipping and flaking off particularly proper on the edges. From speaking with lab technicians that is extra more likely to happen on metallic panels if they’re lower with a sheer with out correctly routing or sanding afterwards.

This is a close-up displaying the nook of a Chromaluxe metallic panel the place the coating has chipped off revealing the aluminum beneath it.

Solution

You ought to at all times defend the perimeters of your print when transporting it. But in any other case search for a lab that makes use of a CNC router to chop panels or be sure that they’ve follow-up step to sand/clean the perimeters. In one case with a broken print, I used to be capable of finding the chip and glue it again on to the metallic clean. If you seemed intently you would see the road the place the coating fractured however from a distance it was unnoticeable.

Most metallic prints have an inset body on the again which is hooked up by glue. This permits the print to be held on the wall and giving it a floating look. However, over time, because the glue dries, this may occasionally trigger the print to bow. Wood additionally expands in a different way in comparison with aluminum with temperature modifications which can additionally result in bowing. Typically the bowing isn’t a lot, maybe a number of millimeters on an enormous print (I’ve seen way more warping with acrylic facements).

Solution

Bowing, even on a big print, is usually minimal. I seen it as a result of I made customized carrying instances for my metallic prints the place they’re positioned into slotted grooves in inflexible high-density foam. The bowing made it harder to slip the prints into the grooves.

If absolute flatness is essential, select a lab that makes use of an inset aluminum body as a substitute of wooden. Aluminum is stiffer and can resist bowing extra.

Metal prints are sometimes in need of the ordered measurement by as a lot as 1/4″ on every dimension. As far as I can inform, it is a quite common apply. This permits the printer slightly leeway to compensate for misplaced materials as they lower down full measurement sheets.

This could create an issue if you wish to put the print into a normal measurement body and have equal spacing round all edges.

Solution

You can ask the lab if they’ll lower the clean to the precise measurement however they might not have the ability to accomodate. Otherwise, in case you plan on framing the print, you’ll have to measure the precise dimensions earlier than ordering or making a customized body.

Metal printing is a posh course of with many phases. In every stage there’s quite a bit that may go incorrect and introduce high quality points. It remains to be very a lot an artwork and each print store has a unique strategy.

I’ve listed the most typical points I’ve confronted in printing and the way I’ve tried to deal with them. However there’s a restrict to what a photographer can compensate for in picture preparation. This is why I’ve experimented with prints from practically a dozen completely different retailers, you may additionally should attempt a number of till you discover one that you’re glad with.

If you’ve skilled these or different issues when printing on metallic, I’d love to listen to about it. Please ship me an e mail.